Most vaccine compositions are administered parenterally via injection. In recent years, other delivery routes for vaccines have been studied such as administration via mucosal surfaces in the nose or in the oral cavity. It is known that for most types of vaccines, a better immunization is achieved by administering the vaccine more than one time, e.g. as a prime dose and one or more boost doses, where the boost dose(s) is later in time than the prime dose.
Very often, the prime dose—and also one or more boost doses—is given parenterally by injection using a needle and a syringe. Only medically trained people are permitted to administer a vaccine composition parenterally. The fact that the patients need to go to a clinic for administration of a vaccine by medically trained people dissuades and refrains some from achieving e.g. one or more boost doses. Poor patient compliance subsequently leads to insufficient or less sufficient immunization. Thus, there is a need to improve present vaccination regimens in order to enable improved compliance and immunization.
Furthermore, situations might also occur where there is a need for fast immunization of large masses of people and where it is beneficial for people to avoid hospital settings with other potentially contagious people. Such a situation might include an influenza pandemic or a similar situation where a virus spreads quickly and there is an urgency to immunize many persons. In such a situation it would be valuable with a vaccine composition in a form that enables self-administration without any need of medically educated or trained personnel. The present invention allows for self-administration of a vaccine.
The present invention provides a kit that enables an improved compliance for immunization. The kit contains vaccine composition in a form that enables self-administration without any need of medically educated or trained personnel. Thus, a person can vaccinate herself or—in the case of children or disabled persons—with help from another not-medically trained person (e.g a parent or care-taker).
US 2011/200635 relates to a method for preparing vaccines that can raise immunity against both seasonal and pandemic strains. The vaccines can be administered in single dose or multiple doses. In a multiple dose schedule the various doses may be given by the same or different routes. Self-administration is not anticipated by US 2011/200635.
WO 2012/024283 describes a universal flu vaccine that gives protection against various strains of influenza. Multiple doses of a vaccine can be employed. Self-administration is not anticipated by WO 2012/024283.
US 2010/0150954 relates to specific immunogenic conjugates. Self-administration is not anticipated by US 2010/0150954.
EP 2,396,030 corresponding to WO 2010/092476 describes a method comprising administering to the human a first vaccine comprising antigen from a pandemic-associated influenza virus strain; and then week(s) (1, 2, 6) later, administering to the same human a second influenza vaccine comprising antigen from the pandemic-associated influenza virus strain. The most preferred immunization route is by intramuscular injection (e.g. into the arm or leg). Self-administration is not anticipated by EP 2,396,030 or WO 2010/092476.
US 2010/0143393 describes influenza antigen formulations and vaccines. Multiple dosage regimens are described, but self-administration is not anticipated.
US 2007/0224220 relates to a composition of influenza virosomes. Single administration to a human is described to be sufficient for the induction of a systemic immune response. Self-administration is not anticipated by US 2007/0224220.
Rudenko et al. (2001) disclose a study of elderly where the immunogenicity and efficacy of Russian live attenuated (intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine) and US inactivated trivalent (intra muscular inactivated influenza vaccine) influenza vaccines administered alone or in three different combinations were evaluated. Postvaccination serum antibody responses were more frequent among individuals administered the combination vaccines than among those vaccinated with live or inactivated vaccine alone. Only individuals who received live vaccine, alone or in combination with inactivated vaccine, achieved significant postvaccination increases in virus-specific nasal IgA. Self-administration is not anticipated by Rudenko et al.